Written Answers Tuesday 20 April 2010

Scottish Executive

Alcohol

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many licensees have been (a) charged and (b) convicted of breaches of licensing laws in each year since 2007.

Kenny MacAskill: There were 132 and 211 persons proceeded against for offences by licensed persons in the financial years 2007-08 and 2008-09 respectively, of these 72 and 122 persons were convicted of these offences where this was the main offence. These may include a small number of persons employed by licensees or their agents.

Alcohol

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact minimum pricing would have on the Scotch whisky industry.

Nicola Sturgeon: As part of the process of introducing primary legislation, a Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) is undertaken in order to assess the potential impacts of a policy proposal on those sectors and groups likely to be affected. The RIA relating to the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill, which includes the proposal to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol, can be found at the following link http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/924/0092060.pdf.

Alcohol

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what weight it has given to statements made by the Scotch Whisky Association that minimum pricing would damage Scotch whisky exports by £600 million a year.

Nicola Sturgeon: Minimum pricing will only apply to the retail price of alcohol sold in Scotland. The Scotch Whisky Association’s claims that a minimum price introduced in Scotland would damage Scotch whisky exports are based on speculation about further discriminatory action being taken by foreign governments against imported spirits. No evidence has been provided to support these assertions.

Alcohol

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with the European Commission about notification of the minimum pricing proposal and, if none, whether it plans to make contact and, if so, when.

Nicola Sturgeon: We continue to keep the European Commission informed of progress. None of the provisions in the Alcohol etc. (Scotland) Bill require notification under the Technical Standards Directive.

Communities

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many grants have been made under the CashBack for Communities initiative to applicants since May 2007 and what the total value was, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government does not hold the value or the number of grants paid by Parliamentary constituency under the CashBack for Communities scheme. The following table sets out the total number of grants and value administered by Youthlink Scotland since 2007 within each local authority.

  To date, the Scottish Government has invested over £14 million in the CashBack for Communities programme which includes diversionary and participatory projects for young people across Scotland, and in am wide range of projects.

  This includes £2.5 million to Scottish Football Association, £4 million to Youthlink, £1.4 million to Scottish Rugby Union, £1.7 million to Scottish Sports Futures and Basketball Scotland, £2 million to Scottish Screen and the Scottish Arts Council for the Creative Identities initiative. The most recent projects launched are a multisport project funding of £1.5 million, £500,000 to YouthScotland to administer a grant project for uniformed and small organisations, and The Junction project with £1.6 million allocated to the project.

  So far over 100,000 young people have participated in CashBack for Communities activities.

  

 LA Area
 Panels
 Total Amount Awarded
 Total No. of Awards


 1
 Aberdeen City
£123,543.00 
 14 


 2
 Aberdeenshire
£136,580.56 
 20 


 3
 Angus
£65,505.00 
 19 


 4
 Argyll and Bute
£61,478.00 
 10 


 5
 Clackmannanshire
£49,723.00 
 8 


 6
 Dumfries and Galloway
£100,671.00 
 13 


 7
 Dundee
£149,414.00 
 17 


 8
 East Ayrshire
£105,069.00 
 16 


 9
 East Dunbartonshire
£58,596.86 
 13 


 10
 East Lothian
£49,986.00 
 9 


 11
 East Renfrewshire
£51,384.74 
 9 


 12
 Edinburgh
£291,203.00 
 32 


 13
 Falkirk
£96,810.00 
 12 


 14
 Fife
£257,945.00 
 36 


 15
 Glasgow
£811,573.00 
 65 


 16
 Highland
£133,865.00 
 23 


 17
 Inverclyde
£98,745.00 
 12 


 18
 Midlothian
£48,441.00 
 8 


 19
 Moray
£45,946.00 
 11 


 20
 North Ayrshire
£122,151.95 
 18 


 21
 North Lanarkshire
£285,488.00 
 38 


 22
 Orkney
£15,298.00 
 4 


 23
 Perth and Kinross
£80,652.20 
 14 


 24
 Renfrewshire
£130,960.00 
 11 


 25
 Scottish Borders
£61,041.00 
 11 


 26
 Shetland
£16,321.00 
 4 


 27
 South Ayrshire
£80,021.61 
 18 


 28
 South Lanarkshire
£234,542.00 
 29 


 29
 Stirling
£54,778.00 
 5 


 30
 West Dunbartonshire
£99,677.00 
 9 


 31
 West Lothian
£113,618.37 
 15 


 32
 Western Isles
£17,289.00 
 8 


 
 Totals 
£4,048,039.29 
 531

Environment

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to bring forward (a) primary or (b) secondary legislation to create a single or integrated environmental permitting scheme.

Richard Lochhead: We are currently considering with Scottish Environment Protection Agency the feasibility and the legislative implications of streamlining existing environmental regulation. We have no immediate plans to bring forward legislation to introduce such changes but do not rule out the possibility of doing so should the evidence suggest that this is the appropriate course of action.

Environment

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with industry organisations regarding the need to bring forward legislation to create a single or integrated environmental permitting scheme and, if so, what the outcome was.

Richard Lochhead: We have not yet had such discussions. Before any single or integrated environmental permitting scheme was introduced, consultation with organisations affected, including those which would benefit from a reduced regulatory burden, would be required in order to develop effective and proportionate legislation.

Environment

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding the need to bring forward legislation to create a single or integrated environmental permitting scheme and, if so, what the outcome was.

Richard Lochhead: We have regular discussions with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on its Better Regulation work which aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of environmental regulation while reducing the burden on businesses which are regulated, consistent with the need to safeguard the environment and human health. We are considering with SEPA whether streamlining or integration of the separate regulatory regimes covering waste and pollution activities would be feasible and effective in achieving that aim.

Environment

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what difficulties and barriers there might be to bringing forward legislation to create a single or integrated environmental permitting scheme.

Richard Lochhead: We are currently exploring the legislative implications of such a change.

Finance

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what consequentials for Scotland arise as a result of the UK Budget, broken down by financial year.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government will receive the following Barnett DEL consequentials following the UK Budget announcement on 24 March 2010:-

  

 UK Programme DEL
 2010-11 Resource (£000)
 2010-11 Capital (£000)
 2010-11 Total (£000)


 Higher and Further Education
 30,954
 
 30,954


 Roads investment
 8,442
 
 8,442


 Regional Transport Schemes
 
 17,085
 17,085


 Rates Relief
 19,598
 
 19,598


 Total DEL
 58,994
 17,085
 76,079



  In addition there is a further £6.2 million of consequentials in AME in respect of additional student loans but this will ultimately depend on the take up of such loans in Scotland and should be viewed as a notional figure at this stage.

  The application of the £76 million DEL consequentials in Scotland will be determined by Scottish ministers and announced in due course.

First Minister

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the purpose was of the First Minister’s visit to stay at Livingston on 9 April 2010; what officials accompanied him, and how he travelled to the visit.

John Swinney: The visit to Livingston was not undertaken as First Minister.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to ensure early diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32206 on 16 March 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  In December 2008, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) published its report on a clinical audit of care in rheumatoid arthritis (CARA), to help implement key SIGN Guideline recommendations, and to identify any significant variations in the provision of care. The Scottish Society for Rheumatology’s web-based audit programme, supported by NHS QIS, is now undertaking further audit work relating to newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis, to help inform improvements in care.

  The Scottish Government Health Directorates are in the process of developing a national Musculoskeletal Programme to improve the delivery of musculoskeletal and chronic pain services. The re-design focuses on how both access to services and assessment procedures can be managed by a multi-professional team working in a community setting. It builds on examples of good practice, such as the Glasgow Royal Infirmary Day Service, which enhances staff capabilities to meet the needs of rheumatology patients at an earlier stage in their journey, and to provide case management for those with complex needs.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking in response to the deficiencies identified with regard to the management of serious violent offenders in the Social Work Inspection Agency report, Improving Social Work in Scotland .

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is working closely with partners to ensure the consistent assessment and management of violent offenders in communities across the country.

  The report recommended that the first step should be to strengthen current practice and that is why we are working on introducing a framework for the risk assessment and management of offenders. We will also publish new National Standards for criminal justice social work later this year.

  Local leaders are also working to improve practice. The Association of Directors of Social Work is leading a process of structured self evaluation to support front line staff in identifying and making practice improvements to enhance public safety.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it provides guidance to local authorities with regard to the management of serious violent offenders.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Executive provides guidance to local authorities in the form on National Objectives and Standards for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System.

  We are working with partners to introduce a new, more consistent approach to risk assessment and management of offenders, and more effective information sharing and we will publish new National Standards for criminal justice social work later this year.

Justice

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have waiting lists for offenders placed on community service.

Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally. It is the responsibility for each local Community Service scheme to monitor and record performance in accordance with the national guidance which forms part of the National Objectives and Standards for Social Work Services in the Criminal Justice System. The latest Scottish Government guidance on Community Service, which was issued in February 2009 and came into operation from 1 June 2009, states that "The overall intention is for the offender to commence work within 7 working days of the Order being made by the Court".

  A sample audit to assess the impact of the new guidance on the time taken to commence and complete orders is in progress. This will use as a baseline the report Community Service Audits 2009-10 published on the Scottish Parliament Information Centre in April 2009 (Bib. number 47783). The findings of the follow up audit will be published on SPICe as Audit of Community Service in Scotland – Comparative Study (Bib. number 49886) during May 2010.

Livestock

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32435 by Richard Lochhead on 1 April 2010, (a) what its current assessment is of the five potential benefits of electronic identification of sheep, (b) whether it is undertaking research to make an assessment of whether the potential benefits are being delivered and (c) when the results of any such research will be available.

Richard Lochhead: The potential benefits of electronic identification of sheep covered in answer S3W- 32435 are currently being assessed through the large scale Scottish EID research pilot. With an additional £1 million of Scottish Government funding the Pilot has been extended through 2010-11 and results will be produced at a later stage when findings from the Pilot emerge. Findings from Phase one of the Pilot along with technical reports have already been published on the Scottish Government website. They can be found at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/Agriculture/animal-welfare/Diseases/IDtraceability/identification.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting time is for a first appointment with a psychologist, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32641 on 20 April 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are waiting for an appointment with a psychologist, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

  Good quality psychological care depends on boards having in place the right number of qualified staff to meet their local needs.

  Differences occur in staffing levels in psychology services across NHS boards are due to the differences in how services are tailored to meet local need across Scotland.

Ministerial Visits

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) date and (b) location was of each ministerial visit to the Edinburgh South parliamentary constituency by each cabinet secretary in (i) April 2009, (ii) May 2009, (iii) June 2009, (iv) July 2009, (v) August 2009, (vi) September 2009, (vii) October 2009, (viii) November 2009, (ix) December 2009, (x) January 2010, (xi) February 2010 and has been in March 2010.

John Swinney: The information requested is listed in the following table:

  

 Cabinet Secretary
 Date of Visit
 Location


 John Swinney MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth
 8 October 2009
 Parclife Housing Development, Niddrie Mains Road EH16


 16 November 2009
 Prestonfield House Hotel, Prestonfield Road EH16 5UT


 19 November 2009
 Prestonfield House Hotel, Prestonfield Road EH16 5UT


 16 December 2009
 John McIntyre Centre, Pollock Halls, Holyrood Park Road EH16 5AY


 Mike Russell MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning
 3 December 2009
 Prestonfield House Hotel, Prestonfield Road EH16 5UT


 Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning (May 07- December 09)
 16 April 2009
 University of Edinburgh, Informatics Building, 10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB


 29 April 2009
 Edinburgh First, The University of Edinburgh, 18 Holyrood Park, Edinburgh, EH16 5AY


 2 June 2009
 Nairn’s Oatcakes Ltd, 90 Peffermill Road, Edinburgh, EH16 5UU


 8 September 2009
 Informatics Forum, 10 Crichton Street, Edinburgh, EH8 9AB


 9 September 2009
 South Hall, Pollock Halls of Residence, Holyrood Park Road, EH16 5AY


 Nicola Sturgeon MSP,Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing
 9 March 2010
 SHAPE, Unit 16/17 11 Harewood Road EH16 4NS


 17 February 2010
 Boroughloch Medical Practice, 1 Meadow Place, EH9 1JZ


 23 April 2009
 Royal College of Nursing HQ, 42 South Oswald Road, EH9 2HH


 16 June 2009
 Boroughloch Medical Practice, 1 Meadow Place, EH9 1JZ


 6 October 2009
 Prestonfield House Hotel, Prestonfield Road EH16 5UT


 Richard Lochhead MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment
 24 September 2009
 John McIntyre Centre, Pollock Halls, Holyrood Park Road EH16 5AY


 Kenny MacAskill MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice
 19 November 2009
 Prestonfield House Hotel, Prestonfield Road EH16 5UT


 22 December 2009
 Private Address


 2 February 2010
 Gracemount Primary School, Lasswade Road, Edinburgh EH16 6UA

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences of wasting police time were committed in the Grampian police force area in each of the last three years.

Kenny MacAskill: Offences of public mischief recorded by Grampian Police 1 :

  

 
 Grampian


 2006-07
 121


 2007-08
 132


 2008-09
 95



  Note: 1. The offence of public mischief includes, but is not restricted to, wasting police time.

Scottish Futures Trust

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Futures Trust has renewed its contract with PricewaterhouseCoopers for 2010-11.

John Swinney: I have asked Barry White, Chief Executive of the Scottish Futures Trust to respond. His response is as follows:

  The contract with PricewaterhouseCoopers has been extended for a further year.

Scottish Futures Trust

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Futures Trust will take up the option of an additional year’s contract with Mott MacDonald after 1 May 2010.

John Swinney: I have asked Barry White, Chief Executive of the Scottish Futures Trust to respond. His response is as follows:

  The contract with Mott MacDonald has been extended for a further year.

Scottish Government Procurement

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has advised COSLA that local authorities’ procurement contracts should be linked to single outcome agreements.

John Swinney: Single outcome agreements set out the ambitions of a Community Planning Partnership, in the form of local outcomes, and describe how progress towards these local outcomes will be measured. Single outcome agreements are not expected to set out how local services will be provided or purchased.

Scottish Government Procurement

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many procurement officers have been trained in the use of community benefit clauses in each of the last three years and in what public bodies.

John Swinney: There is no central record available of the number of procurement officers that have been trained in the use of community benefit clauses. The Scottish Government is however keen to support development and to raise awareness of such clauses and in the six awareness seminars which have recently taken place, over 200 procurement officers have attended. We published the Community Benefits in Public Procurement Report  and accompanying guidance for buyers in February 2008. The report and guidance provides practical information on how and when to use the clauses including case studies, model clauses and lessons learnt.

  We are continuing to work with the wider public sector, including local authorities, health boards and regeneration organisations, to roll out Community Benefits clauses. These have now been used in a variety of public contracts and contractors have committed to around 2,000 placements for new entrant trainees and to small and medium-sized enterprises and social enterprise development.

Scottish Government Procurement

John Scott (Ayr) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the national procurement plan for interpreting services will be ready to put out to tender.

John Swinney: There are currently no plans to release a national tender for interpreting services.

Voluntary Organisations

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth will report to the Parliament on the progress made in the Enterprising Third Sector Action Plan.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government will publish an update on progress of the action plan in summer 2010.

Voluntary Organisations

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what actions it is taking to encourage commercial banks to invest in the third sector.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to encouraging investment in, and development of, the Scottish economy. This includes encouraging lenders to support the cash, credit and capital needs of viable businesses, including those in the third sector.

Voluntary Organisations

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the role of social investment bonds in financing third sector organisations.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government is committed to investing in an enterprising third sector. This includes exploring with a range of stakeholders the development of innovative approaches to financing the sector.

Voluntary Organisations

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on the campaign to attract people from mainstream businesses onto the boards of enterprising third sector organisations and what success it has had.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has committed, over two years until March 2011, £82,000 to the Business on Board programme, delivered by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations. The Business on Board programme includes encouraging and supporting people with business skills to join the boards of third sector organisations. To date over 50 third sector organisations have signed up and 42 business contacts have been identified and are being carefully matched to third sector organisations.

Voluntary Organisations

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is measuring the impact of the money allocated under the (a) Social Entrepreneurs Fund, (b) Enterprising Third Sector Fund and (c) Scottish Investment Fund.

John Swinney: Each of the funds is delivered by a different body, each of which has put in place specific monitoring mechanisms.

  (a) The Social Entrepreneurs Fund is delivered by Firstport who are measuring the journey travelled by awardees against five indicators: governance, leadership, business planning, operations, and marketing.

  (b) The Third Sector Enterprise Fund is delivered in-house by Scottish Government. Each awardee is asked to provide a regular monitoring report and a final report at the end of the funded period, covering the following areas: what the investment has been used for; the difference it has made; progress achieved towards meeting expected outcomes, and any unexpected outcomes.

  (c) The Scottish Investment Fund is delivered by Social Investment Scotland, who are using Social Return on Investment (SROI) to measure the social impact of the investment.

  In addition, the Scottish Government has recently commissioned EkosGen to carry out an evaluation of the three third sector funds and business support package. The main focus of this work is to look at the needs of the sector going forward but it will also give some initial indications of the impact of the funds. However, much of the money has only recently been allocated so it is a little early to measure fully the impact of the funds.